A Field Placement To Remember

My field placement for Fall 2019 was in a charter high school that had a focus on arts education. I was in classes that were under the literary arts major so I got to work with freshmen and sophomores who have a passion for literature and writing. In a typical observation day I would see two classes, “Romanticism” with the sophomores, and “Genre” with the freshman. These classes went beyond a typical English class by focusing on very specific topics to help them develop as literary artists. I was fortunate to have a co-op who let me be an involved member of the classroom community and forge connections with the students. 

Through these connections, I was able to work with many different students and support them when they needed it. These students were at varying levels academically and emotionally so it gave me a wide range of experience. Eva* and I often worked together in a conference setting because she was often finished with her work long before the other students. She was a gifted writer, who developed beautiful and intricate story lines. Working with Eva* challenged me to give her harder and more nuanced things to improve in her writing because of her deep interest and desire to learn more. 

I also got to work with two students Ally*, and Gina* who were going through traumatic experiences in their personal lives. Due to frequent meetings with guidance counselors and the school social worker they often missed a lot of classwork. I worked with the girls separately to help explain what they missed and assist them in catching up on their assignments. When I left Ally* was still dealing with her circumstances, but Gina’s* situation was improving. It was bittersweet to leave them in these positions, but I have hope for both of them moving forward. 

The final student that I worked closely with was Mia*. Mia* is undergoing testing with the child study team so the school can help support her better socially and academically. I often sat with Mia* just to talk to her about her day or listen to the songs that she created on garage band. I tried to display appropriate social skills to her the best I could. I am hoping the child study team will be able to put an effective learning plan in place for her soon. 

After working with these students for some weeks I decided that I wanted to teach a lesson to the freshman in the genre class. Since they were in a poetry unit, I developed a lesson that exposed them to works from black female poets of the 20th Century. Since many students in that class are of diverse backgrounds I thought this lesson would be relatable and keep their interest. I assigned them three poems to read before class and used the jigsaw method. Each person had an expert poem that they focused on and after speaking in the expert groups reported back to the home group. After the jigsaw we spoke in a large group and shared with each other. I then assigned them their first poetry assignment which was making their own version of We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks in the voice of a high school student. 

Overall, I was extremely impressed with how interested the students were with the poems, and many of them complimented the ones I picked. They shared lived experiences with each other and how some of the lines connected with how they felt about themselves or society. Their final poems were also sophisticated, and showed maturity in their ability to observe and write about the high school experience. While there were minor mishaps in the lesson, like taking too much time on one poem, or some off topic rants by the students, I am really proud of the lesson as a whole and how much the students enjoyed it. 

When I take the time to reflect on what I did “right” in my field placement it was not the different teaching strategies, or assessments I produced, it was the way I was able to relate to the students. Teaching is a human profession and especially since I was in a diverse school I had to make sure that I was meeting the social and cultural needs of the students. Had I picked another genre of poems I do not think my lesson would have been as successful. Because I focused on contemporary black poets I allowed many of my students to see themselves in the lesson. It was fresh and new to everyone in the class so it did not feel boring. By implementing culturally responsive pedagogy in my lesson I was able to foster authentic interest and learning in my students. Focusing on what your students want to learn is the best way to create exceptional learners. 

I am grateful for the experience and all that I learned in my placement this semester. It was my favorite of the three that I have completed so far. I felt like I really became part of the classroom community and was appreciated by the students and my co-op. Feeling validated and heard as an educator was so important for me and I did not realize that I needed it until I received it. I cannot wait to take the strategies that I learned into my own classroom someday to develop confident and interested readers and writers.